Chicago punk band Control is releasing a new EP entitled "Blood" and I got to take a early listen to it. It sounds awesome! Kinda a mix of horror punk and rockabilly. Very melodic and I could understand the lyrics that are sung well and not screamed. Spooky lyrics and over all dark theme make this a totally fun album! You can check out their first album here. I got to ask them a few questions:

Your recordings sound awesome! Quality sound but still with a raw kind of vibe. Could you describe the recording process?

The recording process was fairly simple, we had the songs prepared and practiced going into the studio. The hardest part was finding a studio. We originally planned on recording at the same place where we recorded our first Ep, but it went out of business. We tried booking with the same guy who recorded us the first time, we actually had time booked, but that fell through as well. We basically searched Chicago for a good studio at a great price. We found Sonic Palace. Matt Mercado is awesome, and has a great ear. He was able to flesh out the sounds we were looking for with vague descriptions of how we want to sound. We recorded the songs in about a day and a half with another day of mixing.

I see that your band is unsigned. What would it take for a record label to snatch your band up?

A label would be awesome, it won't take much. Just a deal that won't leave us bankrupted.

Chicago is hot bed of great punk bands and seems like a new punk Mecca. Could you explain the Chicago punk scene a little bit. What are the best venues and what are the crowds like?

Chicago is awesome, we are all transplants to Chicago. John (guitars, lead vocals) is from Wisconsin, Susan (drums) is from Indiana, and I (Chris, Bass, backing vocals) am from Philadelphia. For me, It was like a whole new world. People who don't know you come to the bars to see original acts. The bands that we have played with are supportive and help with shows. The crowd lets you know if they like a song. This is all foreign to me, bands stayed in their cliques, and would rarely share the bill with new acts. We have played the Mutiny, Exit, Double Door, Reggies, Stage Bar, Ultra Lounge, Cobra Lounge, and a few others. The crowds are definitely receptive, some larger than others. We have played to 5 people and we have played to a couple hundred.

Has a fight ever broken out at one of your shows?

No, no fights. This is surprising for some reason, we are a very relaxed band., and when I say it's surprising, I mean we never really gave much thought to it. Not even close to a fight. Are you planning on going on tour to promote the new EP?

We want to promote this new EP as much as possible. We are planning shows in Chicago, Milwaukee and other parts of Wisconsin, all around Indiana, and Ohio for now. We are all tied to our day jobs, so an extended tour is kind of out of the question, for now. We like weekend trips, and will try and get a week or two in the spring next year.